15,000 Atlanta Students Finally Home After Sleeping In Schools During Icy Storm

The city of Atlanta got 15,000 young school children home safely after highway gridlock and unsafe winter driving conditions left kids stranded in their schools overnight, sleeping on the floors of their school’s classrooms and gyms.

Thousands of Atlanta-area students were finally sent home safely on Jan. 29 after being forced to spend the night of Jan. 28 in their schools when about two inches of snow made major roadways of the normally warm state of Georgia un-drivable. The National Guard escorted the last of the remaining stranded students home to their safety.

Atlanta School Kids Home Safe After Sleeping In School During Snow Storm

Thousands of Georgia school children were forced to spend the night sleeping on the floors of their schools when unsafe roadways made it impossible for buses to get out or parents to reach schools.

Atlanta Shuts Down During Snow Storm

Mayor Kasim Reed told Atlanta parents that the safest thing for them to do was stay off the roads, even though they wanted to pick up their children.

“What I want to say to them is hold off on trying to get to them. What I can assure (you) is they are safe,” he said. “The safest place for them was in the school system. … I know it is very tough.”

Each school had a different degree of preparedness for the storm, but teachers worked to make the best of the scary situation keep students happy and calm: and one dad even explained that his kids were able to feel like they were at a sleepover party, reported CNN.

Children as far away from as the Atlanta area as Alabama were also reportedly forced to spend the night at schools due to winter storm conditions.

School Buses Stranded On Atlanta Highways During Icy Storm

In total, 51 school buses “needed support” because of the snow and ice, Matthew Kallmyer, director of Atlanta-Fulton County Emergency Management Agency said, reported CNN. All of the stranded buses were also rescued from icy roadways.